


Hiroko no Ocha

by lillykins



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Mob, Canon Compliant, Dark, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kidnapping, Original Character Death(s), Panic Attacks, Pre-Canon, Yuri!!! on Ice Shit Bang, Yuri!!! on Ice Shit Bang 2017, bkns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-31
Updated: 2017-08-31
Packaged: 2018-12-22 02:15:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11957592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lillykins/pseuds/lillykins
Summary: “You can’t lose any more of our money.” By this point Hiroko was desperate. All the work she put into keeping their family together was about to be ruined by a deck of cards.“Let her go.” The words came from the group in the corner and his voice fell into the room like ice.---Things were different in the 80's.





	1. Hiroko

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome friends, I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
> 
> The mood board posted with this fic was made by [braveotabek](http://braveotabek.tumblr.com/) and I have his express permission to post it here.
> 
> This fic would not be possible without Ashii Black. You should have a look at her incredible writing on [AO3.](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ashiiblack/profile)
> 
> Narikopathfinder is my personal cheerleader. Please have a look at her fantastic writing on [AO3.](http://archiveofourown.org/users/narikopathfinder/pseuds/narikopathfinder) .
> 
> ***Please be advised: this work contains several panic attacks, a kidnapping that turns consensual, talk of child abuse, talk of murder - including a child, and an original character death. Individual chapters will not have warnings. Reading beyond this point means that you understand what the warnings imply.***

 

Hiroko stared down the image in the bathroom mirror. Her hair was cut starkly across her brow to frame her hollow cheeks. Her eyes were sunken in and bruised from lack of sleep. She looked broken, ground down by her life and ready to flee.

This wasn’t her; this was a sick parody of what her life used to be. The mirror was cracked and spotted with age. Behind her, she could see the dirty yellow paint peeling off the wall. It was a faded color that may once have been cheerful but has now turned morose with neglect.

When she was a child, she thought her parents were the reason the sun moved across the sky and they could do no wrong. As it turned out, she was wrong, and so were they. Her father was a weak man who expected too much out of a distractible woman. When Hiroko was ten her father finally left them and there was no one to keep her mother anchored in reality. Hiroko’s mother, Haruka, turned on her and took out all of her anger on an innocent child. Haruka would swing wildly back and forth between uncontrolled rage and bitter disappointment, all centered around how unworthy and useless Hiroko was.

Hiroko’s life got worse when her mother got remarried a man named Nishigori Seiji. Hiroko refused to take his surname and it made him hate her. He never accepted her as part of the family.

It was not long before Hiroko’s mother started to misuse him too, demanding money and gifts when she had done nothing to earn his affection. He became a sour man who gambled and drank away his emotions, anything to escape his miserable wife.

Seiji had a son a year younger than Hiroko. His name was Heiachi and he was a sweet boy with shining eyes and laughter bubbling just under the surface. He was so good at ignoring the problems around him that Hiroko would cling to him because sometimes when their parents weren’t home, she could forget too. The only indication that he gave about the problems around him were his nightmares. He would wake up at least three times a week shaking and crying out for his mother. Heiachi would get into trouble when he was too loud and Hiroko was the only person willing to soothe him after his dreams. She would have run away long ago if it were not for him.

On top of everything else, her mother developed a drug problem in response to Seiji’s gambling. This vicious cycle continued until the family had to borrow money and was drowning in debt owed to the local mob.

Hiroko was still in high school and had to work a full-time job to make ends meet. She was barely keeping them afloat and there was never enough money to go around. Heiachi was in the middle of a growth spurt and replacing his uniform again made them short on this month’s debt payment. The collectors would be there soon and Hiroko was running out of excuses.

Gathering up her courage, Hiroko went to the living room to wait for the debt collectors. Heiachi came and sat beside her at the table. He had a far away look on his face with a line drawn between his brows.

“They are going to be here soon and Tousan is out gambling again.” He had the same vacant look in his eyes that he had after his nightmares. When Seiji went out he would come home drunk and mean. Sometimes he would shout and throw things. Those nights weren’t the worst and Hiroko had learned to duck. Other times were much worse and Hiroko would have to drag Heiachi into the bedroom and lock the door to stay safe.

Every once in a while he would come home and pass out in the living room. He always slept on his back and Hiroko would leave him be as long as she could until the guilt got to her and she rolled him on his side.

“I’ll go get him.” She sighed. Dragging Seiji home was never pleasant and tonight would be worse because of the men coming to collect.

\-----

This was not the first time Hiroko had to get her stepfather and the bouncer was so used to seeing her that she didn’t even have to fight to be allowed in. He just gave her a nod and a sad smile while he opened the door for her. The Pachinko parlor was busy this time of night. Loud mechanical dings and clicks from the machines filled the air with a bewildering cacophony of noise. The endless amount of blinking neon lights added to the confusion.

Hiroko knew she would not find Seiji here. He would be in the quieter back room, losing more money they didn’t have to a game of cards.

The bouncer at this door frowned when he saw her. He was an older man who had always been kind, even when he didn’t have to be.

“Good timing. They are here.”     

_They_ were the collectors. It was never good when they showed up and it was even worse when they visited the game tables.

“They said they’d forgive double whatever he won tonight and it’s not going well.”

Hiroko bit her lip. She could take him away from the table and deal with his bad attitude or let him lose even more of their money. She didn’t want to do either but someone had to act responsibly and it wasn’t going to be him. She walked into the room with her head held high.

Her stepfather was deep in his cups. He was laughing too loudly about the hand he just lost and there was a frantic hunger in his eyes. He kept running his hand over the small pile of chips he had. It was worse than she thought. If he lost any more, she would have to skip dinner for at least a week.

“Another hand! I’ll win this time, you’ll see.” Hiroko cringed from second-hand embarrassment. Not only was he sloppy drunk, he was the only one drunk at the table.

The others players at the table laughed at him and the dealer started to shuffle the deck.

Hiroko glanced quickly around the room. Their usual collectors were there along with a few others she had seen before. In the far corner, there was a group of men she didn’t know. They were watching the exchange with mild interest and were the only ones not laughing at Seiji. One of the men kept glancing back and forth between Hiroko and her stepfather.

Hiroko shivered under his gaze. This man was different than the others, full of danger and quiet confidence. Whatever was going on was worse than bad and she had to put a stop to it. She walked up behind Seiji and scooped up as many of the chips as she could in one go.

“Hey, fuck you.” He grabbed her wrist and slammed her into the table. “Those are mine.”

“No. You’ve lost enough already today.” Hiroko struggled against Seiji’s grip, spilling the chips all over the floor.

“You can’t lose any more of our money.” By this point she was desperate. All the work she put into keeping their family together was about to be ruined by a deck of cards.

“Let her go.” The words came from the group in the corner and his voice fell into the room like ice. The men at the table shifted uncomfortably and looked anywhere but at Hiroko and her stepfather.

“Pick up the mess you’ve made and come here.” Seiji’s face went pale. He looked at the man that had spoken out of the corner of his eye, too afraid to turn his head. He slowly let go of Hiroko’s wrist and pulled his arms in around his body.

Hiroko knew her place in this group and it wasn’t good. As soon as she was free she fell to her knees and started to gather up the fallen chips.

“No.” The man spoke again, sending shivers up Hiroko’s spine. Hiroko stilled her hands and sat back on her heels. The man’s attention shifted back to Seiji. “I want him to pick them up.”

Seiji moved slowly to the floor and started to pick up the chips in Hiroko’s place.

Hiroko risked a glance over to the man that spoke. He was younger than she expected with raven hair parted down the middle. He was dressed in a stylish suit and sat with an odd combination of awkwardness and confidence. The man knew he had power but seemed hesitant to use it.

His hesitation did not keep anyone in the room from obeying him instantly.

A second man standing in the corner caught her attention. He was standing behind the dark haired man, bent over at the waist so the man could whisper in his ear. Hiroko couldn’t decide what their relationship was but the blond was clearly subservient to the other. He nodded once and looked over to Hiroko. She froze as his eyes went wide and a dazzling smile split his face.

He started walking towards Hiroko and his smile changed to something a little more dangerous. He was tiny, barely bigger than Hiroko herself, and so full of energy he couldn’t contain it. He bounced on the balls of his feet while he walked and it made his hair bounce and flop around. The other people in the room shifted out of his way as he made his way across the room. When he got to Hiroko he bent over and put his hand under her elbow.

“You’re going to come with me now,” he chirped. He was like a child, self-confident and sure that he would get whatever he wanted as soon as he spoke.

Seiji reached out and pushed the man away from Hiroko. Then, he looked up in fear. The blond man just stared at Seiji in surprise. His brows drew together and he said: “Yes she is.”

His hand went back around Hiroko’s elbow and he pulled her to her feet. She had no idea what was going on or who these people were but she did know that these were the kind of people you do not say no to. She had no choice but to follow as she was lead out of the room by her enthusiastic captor.

Hiroko looked back into the room one last time as she was led away. She saw her stepfather shouting, red in the face, and a flash of money between the dark haired man and the debt collectors.


	2. Heiachi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiroko finds out what's going on.

Hiroko pushed her forehead against the cold steel bars that made up the wall of her cage. It was six feet square with only a crude pallet and a toilet to keep her company. The man from last night unceremoniously shoved her in the cell and left without a word. He came back later with dinner and then breakfast in the morning, but he never spoke. He only stared at her in mute fascination. Hiroko stared back at him, daring him to do something to her.

Finally, around lunch time he came in again and he was even more excited than he had been before.

“Sensei wants to see you.” The strange little man opened the cell door and took her elbow again. He dragged her along as he bounced through several hallways, only pausing to open doors. They made their way up through the building and as they went, the building became nicer and nicer. The halls themselves became passages of understated wealth, with thick carpet and golden light fixtures. He finally came to an innocent looking door at the end of a richly carpeted hallway.

The man opened the door and pushed her inside “Wait here.” he said.

He gave her his huge smile again and wiggled his eyebrows. It was like he was trying to point out an obvious secret and Hiroko just couldn’t catch on. A thousand thoughts went through her head and she shivered. She wasn’t looking forward to whatever was next. He giggled to himself as he walked out the door and Hiroko couldn't help but think he sounded demented. She stood stock still in the middle of the room and waited to find out her fate.

She was in someone's office and that someone seemed rather boring. There were no pictures or windows on the plain beige walls. The desk and low table in the sitting area were clean except for a statue of a rabbit sitting on the corner of the desk. The sofa and two chairs were dark blue and looked well used and well cared for. A person couldn’t naturally be this boring; it had to be on purpose.

Hiroko kept her eyes on the statue while she waited, drawing courage from its pointed ears and soft expression. A person must have some small amount of gentleness inside them to keep such a statute within arms reach.

She didn’t have to wait long before the door opened behind her. It was that man again, the one with the dark hair. He flashed her a tiny little smile that reached nowhere near his eyes.

“Oh good, you're already here.” He said. He walked around the desk and got comfortable in his chair.

“I’m Katsuki Toshiya.” He looked up and down her body like she was being weighed and measured. “And you’re Onishi Hiroko.”

He flashed that fake little smile again.

“It’s kinda awkward but, well, I own you now.” He laughed at this, bitter and ironic.

His words fell on her like like a physical blow, cold and unfair. His voice was distant, business like and she had been reduced to a transaction. Her heart hurt as she felt all of the plans she made for her future slip away. Now there was no way to save Heiachi from the nightmare of their parents.

“I brought you here because I need you.” He reached out and picked up that silly rabbit statue like he needed comfort to continue. Hiroko was panicking inside while somehow managing to keep herself still enough to listen. What could he possibly need from her?

Katsuki Toshiya had complete power over her and there was nothing she could do.

“I need you to become my wife. The boss has decided that I need to be married, something about image, and if I don’t find someone soon he’ll choose for me. I do _not_ want to marry his daughter.” This took Hiroko completely by surprise. Of all the things he could have said to her, this was nothing near what she expected.

“I mean, it’s better than the alternative.” He shrugged and put his statue down.

“Seiji-san never made it home so you don’t have to worry about that anymore. Haruka-san will disappear too, I don’t think anyone will be sad about that.”

Hiroko’s blood ran cold. Seiji never made it home and her mother would disappear. If Toshiya was talking so casually about killing her parents there’s no telling what he’d do to Heiachi.

“Don’t make that face, I know you don’t care about your parents but Heiachi-kun will be fine. I’m, um, oddly important and if I say, he’ll be taken care of. Nothing to worry about there.” Toshiya went for his statue again. It was strange how admitting he was important made him so uncomfortable.

“That’s if you take my deal. If not, you can go work in a sex shop, I guess. It’ll still be better than your house.” He shrugged again and looked into the corners of the room.

“You will, of course, need to learn how to behave but, you are a smart girl, I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” Toshiya finally made eye contact. “So, ah, what do you say?”

“I, wait, you’re serious?”

Toshiya nodded. He looked away again and fussed with his statue.

“What would I have to do?” Hiroko was out of options and the idea of staying with Toshiya was becoming more appealing by the moment. She hated her parents and he could make them disappear like it was nothing.

She thought back to the card game the night before, everyone dropped what they were doing and obeyed him without question. He said he was important but, people tend to lean into important people, not shift out of the way. Toshiya wasn’t important; he was dangerous.

Right now, Toshiya was awkward and uncomfortable. It was almost endearing, almost. Hiroko couldn't forget the look on Seiji’s face last night. He was genuinely scared and if Toshiya was to be believed, that was the last time she would ever see Seiji.

“Just wife things. Keep the house, go to parties with me, give me children.”

Toshiya’s words rang in her ears. He mentioned having children together just as casually as he talked about killing her parents. He was either the scariest person she’s ever met, or the most socially inept, she couldn’t decide which.

Toshiya clearly had money and power. It was between him, a sex shop, and her parents. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to choose him. At least this way, Heiachi would be taken care of.

Hiroko squared her shoulders and lifted her chin.

“Ok, but, Heiachi has to be taken care of and I want to finish high school.”

Toshiya looked at her in surprise. “Well, yeah, we don’t have to get married tomorrow. Just, you know, after a while.” Toshiya put the statue down again. He pushed it around the desk for a few moments until it was right where he wanted it, exactly where it was before he picked it up.

“Well,” He pushed back from the desk and slapped his knees with his hands. “Now that’s settled my, ah, assistant will take you home.”

Toshiya stood up and walked around the desk. She took a step back and flinched when he walked up next to her. He frowned and shook her elbow. “I’ll let other’s do that but, I’m not having it from you.”

Hiroko’s breath caught in her throat. Toshiya went from clumsy and unsure to cold threat in a matter of seconds. It threw Hiroko off balance and she had to fight against another automatic flinch. He ignored it this time and fell right back into his awkward kindness as he led her to the door.

“I’m sure he hasn’t told you his name, it’s Minami Ryosuke. Don’t let his cute looks fool you, he’s a real asshole sometimes.” Toshiya laughed again and this time it was genuine. He was fond of the strange little man and if Toshiya was the one that warned her about him, it meant Minami could really cause some trouble.

“He went and got your things from your house so you don’t have to worry about going back for them. He’s also set up a nice little one bedroom for Heiachi-kun and got him moved in. I’ll send a man around to check up on him.” They reached the door just as he finished talking. When he opened it, Minami jumped to attention. His little body vibrated with joy when Toshiya looked at him.

“Take her home for me?” Minami nodded and smiled up at Toshiya. “Oh, and send Uo-san in when you go.”

Toshiya handed Hiroko’s arm over to Minami like she was a prize. He bowed at Toshiya and started bouncing down the hallway. Hiroko had no choice but to follow him.

“I’m really taking you to his house? Sensei’s going to have a wife. It’s so amazing.” Minami’s voice rose an octave in his excitement.

Hiroko tried to gather her thoughts on their trip out of the building but Minami was too distracting. She had just changed everything about her life and she had no idea what she was in for. Minami was creepy but, he was enthusiastic. Maybe he would answer some questions. She assumed he wouldn’t hurt her for the simple fact that she was now under Toshiya’s care so, she tried her luck.

“Who is Katsuki-san?”

Minami stopped dead in his tracks and turned to her. “He’s my hero.”

His earnest face left no room for argument and when he didn’t go on, she tried again.

“Why is he your hero?” Hiroko matched his solemn tone.

“He’s amazing. He’s the best assassin in the world. He hunts like a shadow and the way he goes in for the kill, it’s magnificent. He’s an artist and I’m going to be just like him. ” Minami waved his arms wildly at Hiroko. His face was lit up in excitement but his eyes were dark, obsessed. She took a step back, more worried about what he said than his flailing arms. This man wasn’t creepy, he was deranged.

“Come on.” He took her arm again and pulled her down the hall. “You’re going to love his house. There’s a garden and a dishwasher and a man at the door that says ‘hello’.”

With everything else going on Hiroko couldn’t deal with the depths of his madness so she looked down at her shoes and let herself be led. Her right shoe had a hole in the toe. It wasn’t a big hole, just enough to see her sock through it. Her mind went blank. An assassin's wife, an assassin's wife with a hole in her shoe.

The realization burst in her chest and laughter bubbled up out of it. She couldn't even afford a new pair of shoes and here she was, being led off into the unknown by a clearly unbalanced stranger. Her parents were dead and her brother would be taken care of.

Hiroko couldn’t control the laughter spilling out of her.

Minami laughed along with her. “That’s the spirit, it’ll get better now.”

They laughed all the way to the car together and by then, Hiroko had it out of her system. Minami helped her into the back seat and climbed in alongside her. He sat quietly and studied her the whole ride to Toshiya’s house. Every so often she would glance over and find his eyes boring into her. It felt like he was reading her soul.

Minami helped her out of the car and walked her to the building where the doorman did, in fact, say hello to them. His eyes went to where Minami’s hand rested on Hiroko’s arm and he bowed deeply from the waist.

The building was five stories of quiet refinement. The lobby was covered in neutral colors and expensive fabrics. There was a garden on the roof and a pool in the basement. There were no decorations in the lobby or hallways. The whole building seemed to say “keep going, there’s nothing to see here”.

Toshiya’s apartment was on the fourth floor in the far corner. Minami opened the door and waved her inside. All of his excitement from earlier was gone, he was all business.

“Minako-chan will be along in a while to talk to you and your things are in the livingroom.”

Hiroko stepped into the apartment and was stopped by Minami’s hand. When she turned to look at him he had the most serious expression yet. He opened his mouth twice to say something and stopped.

He frowned at her and squeezed her arm.

“I think you’ll be good for him; he’s so lonely.”


	3. Minako

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiroko and Minako become friends.

Hiroko started at her shoes while she took them off. She wasn’t ready to look around the apartment yet and her shoes offered a good distraction. The hole in her shoe mocked her, she could tell already that his apartment was going to be nice and she knew she didn’t belong.

The distraction didn’t last long enough.

Hiroko took a deep breath and looked around. The apartment was set up in a modern western style. The kitchen and living area were all in one large room with a breakfast bar to separate the space. There were several doors leading off to other rooms. The back wall was covered in windows, flooding the room with warmth and light.

It was a lot like Toshiya’s office. Everything was tan or blue and there was very little decoration. The living area had a sofa set that was almost an exact copy of what he had at work. There were two tall stools at the breakfast bar.

The most interesting thing in the room was a bookshelf. All but one shelf was full of books and the other shelf was right at eye level. A rabbit statue that looked like it came in the same set as the one in Toshiya’s office sat between two framed pictures. The pictures were of Toshiya with Minami and of a younger Toshiya with a man in his forties. There were a few other odds and ends, a small folded crane, and a glass paperweight.

A quick check of the other doors revealed two bedrooms to the right and a combination bathroom, laundry area to the left. When she went through the kitchen she found one rice bowl, one tea cup, and one set of chopsticks. Hiroko snorted to herself, lonely was an understatement. 

Once she was finished in the kitchen, she found herself staring at two trash bags and her school things sitting in front of the sofa. Minami said her things were here so, this must be it. Her whole life, reduced to two trash bags. It was fitting that he would use trash bags for her.

Hiroko picked up her bags and went to the smaller bedroom. She liked the idea of having her own space and there wasn’t much to move if Toshiya wanted her in his room. She kept herself busy with putting her things away and let her mind wander.

Everything rested on Toshiya being happy. There was no logic anywhere in his actions. He just randomly picked her off the street and brought her here. She was just filling a spot so he didn’t have to marry someone he didn’t want to.

Hiroko bit her lip hard enough to draw blood.

This was for Heiachi. She would keep Toshiya happy.

She pushed the panic out of her mind and found a change of clothing. Hopefully there would be time to have a bath before the mysterious Minako arrived. She was foul from her night in the cell and she needed some time to gather herself before she faced her next challenge. At least now she had control over being clean.

When Hiroko walked out of the bathroom Minako was there waiting for her. She was sprawled out on the sofa with her back to the bathroom door. The tight bun on the back of her head rested just above the sofa cushion. Hiroko stood in the doorway and studied the back of her head. Minako was a mystery and Hiroko wasn’t ready for another one. Whoever she was, Toshiya clearly trusted her or she wouldn’t have a key to his apartment. 

“Are you just going to stand there or will you come say hello?” Minako’s voice was low and droll. 

Hiroko made an undignified squeak and shuffled around to face Minako. She was young with a long body and delicate wrists and she looked thoroughly disinterested. “Let me have a look at you.”

She spun her finger around in a circle and raised her eyebrows expectantly. Hiroko swallowed back her fear and turned on the spot. 

“I guess you’ll do. Minami-kun seems to approve.” She leaned forward on the sofa and waited for Hiroko to look at her. Once she made eye contact, Minako smiled. It transformed her face into something open and accepting.

“I’m not going to hurt you. You’re probably confused and more than a little upset. Toshiya’s a bit impulsive sometimes, but we can make this work. Actually, it might be nice to have a friend. Yeah, we could be friends.” Minako’s smile turned bitter for a moment before she forced herself to be bright again. 

“Anyway, I’m here to explain a few things to you because, the Gods know that Toshiya won’t do it but first, I got you some things.” She reached for the bag sitting next to her and upended it onto the sofa. All kinds of random things spilled out. A set of rice bowls, several sets of chopsticks, a tooth brush. 

Hiroko looked at the pile in surprise and Minako laughed. “I know he’s only got one rice bowl. He’s so ridiculous sometimes.”

Minako jumped up, spun around once and took Hiroko’s hands. When she was sitting on the sofa she looked like she had been drinking all night and didn't sleep but, when she stood up her body flowed like liquid music. “It’s a nice day, let’s up to the garden to talk.” 

Hiroko took a step back. Every person she’d met so far so confusing. It was like each of them had two faces and had no trouble switching back and forth between them. 

Keeping Toshiya happy may be harder than she thought. 

The rooftop garden was stunning. Stonework paths wound themselves around flower beds full of violent purples and blues. In the center, there was a small koi pond that gently reflected the flowers on the smooth surface. It was a different world compared to the bland building below it and yet another example of the duality of her new life. 

“I  _ am _ here to help you.” Minako slid her hand under Hiroko’s arm and started down a path at random. She held her body tall and proud, she was beautiful and she knew it.

“I’m sure you have a lot of questions but really, the less you know the better.” Hiroko had already worked that out and when she said as much, Minako gave her a delighted laugh. 

It was easy to trust Minako. It was nice to talk to her and her offer of friendship seemed genuine.

“He said you were smart. I’ll answer what I can. It’s probably not much but, I’ll get you anything you need.”

“I need new shoes.” Hiroko slapped her hand over her mouth. She’d been given a free pass to find out as much as she could and the first thing she asked for was new shoes. She closed her eyes and waited.

Minako shrugged. “No problem, it’s always nice to have new shoes. We can go shopping together and get them, probably some neclothesng too, whatever you want.”

She shook Hiroko’s arm, excited about going shopping together.

“So, about Toshiya, the most important thing is to not press for information. He’s not going to give it to you and he’ll probably just get upset if you start asking questions. If he does say something to you, you can never repeat it, even if it kills you; it’s that important.”

“He’s an…” She couldn’t bring herself to say the next word.

“An assassin, yes. Minami-kun told you didn’t he? He’s a little much sometimes.” She sighed fondly.

“Is Minami-san always that, um, intense?”

“No, he was just really excited about what was going on. He’ll calm down eventually.”

Hiroko accepted the information with a nod. So far, everything Minako said sounded like the truth so she thought she’d try her luck

“What’s with the rabbits?”

Minako thought about it for a moment and shrugged. “I don’t know, it’s always been a thing. He had a little rabbit backpack in school. He used to say he’d be a rabbit farmer when he grew up. I guess he just likes them.” 

It’s a big jump from rabbit farmer to assassin. Hiroko put it out of her mind and thought about what else she wanted to know.

“What do you do?” 

Minako made a noise in the back of her throat. “I look pretty. My father is, my father is Toshiya’s employer.”

Hiroko looked at Minako again, appraising this time. She was the one that Toshiya didn’t want to marry and the reason Hiroko was there. 

Hiroko’s chest burned. She was nothing compared to Minako. If Toshiya rejected her, Hiroko would never measure up. 

“I dance too. Ballet mostly, and some other things. I carry messages sometimes.” That explained the grace.

“Why ballet?”

Minako looked off into the distance, her eyes unfocused “Ballet is the same everywhere you go. It’s cruel and unyielding but always the same. You know exactly what’s expected of you and it’s so easy to get lost in the dance.”

Minako’s mouth twisted. Some would consider it a smile but Hiroko knew pain when she saw it. 

“Point, stretch, bow, smile. It’s easy to forget everything else.” She looked back at Hiroko and her smile changed. Now it looked more like pity. 

“There’s no way out of this. You didn’t have a choice; none of us had a choice. Seiji made your choice and you are damn lucky Toshiya was there last night, it could have been so much worse.” Minako turned her back to Hiroko and looked into the garden.

“You’re going to need to fight to keep your head above water here and if you don’t find a distraction, it will kill you. You have to build up a persona, an act to protect yourself.” She spun around quickly with a dazzling smile on her face. Her arms floated up around her as she became a completely different person. She was young and carefree, a sharp contrast to the easy going but melancholy attitude she had before.

“Everything here is about image, it doesn't matter who you really are, only what they think of you. Women like me and now you, are disregarded. We are pushed to the back and told to look pretty. We are treated like flowers, no real worth.” Minako’s eyes widened in false excitement. 

“They forget that not everything is about power.”

Minako dropped her arms and her face fell back into the somber lines it held before her act. She reached out to the flowers in front of her. It was foxglove plant with perfect pink bells standing proudly against the rich green leaves behind it. Her finger fell just short of the blossom and she traced its shape in the air.

"Women like us have to be careful; we have to be beautiful, and poisonous, and ready."

Hiroko stood still for a few moments, trying to breathe through the tightness in her chest. It was too much to process all at once. She’ll just think about it later. She had a more pressing problem: she had to keep Toshiya happy by being a good wife and she had no idea how real wives were supposed to act. All she had was her mother and  _ that  _ was the worst example.

She could cook and clean, but what else was there?

“What do I have to do? He said ‘wife things’, housework, parties, chil… other things. He wasn’t very clear.”

Minako kindly ignored the skipped word. “That’s really it. He’s low maintenance. The parties are probably the worst, so boring all the time but, I go to most of them so it shouldn’t be that bad. Though, those are what the personas are for, mostly. Image is so important to my father.”

Unhelpful.

The two women spent a while just walking around the garden. Hiroko was trying to process all of this information and Minako was watching her to make sure she didn’t have a panic attack or have any more questions. When she was satisfied that Hiroko would be ok for the night, they made plans to meet the next day to go shopping.

Minako left her at the apartment door with a smile and a pat on her arm. 

Alone again, Hiroko busied herself with putting away the bag of things Minako brought. The rice bowls had little white bunnies on the side. After that, she cooked dinner. It wasn’t much. Toshiya barely had any food, just rice and some vegetables. 

Then, she waited.

When Toshiya got home he nodded at her and promptly shut himself in his room. 

Hiroko cried herself to sleep.


	4. Toshiya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things aren't going so well. At least Heiachi is safe.

Hiroko cried every night for the first week she lived with Toshiya. He was difficult to be around. He would say hello to her then stare off into the distance, forgetting she was even there. Once, she dropped a plate while he was sleeping and he had his hand around her throat before she knew what was happening. Toshiya apologized and ran when he realized it was her and he didn’t come back home that night. 

Hiroko wasn’t hurt, but she was terrified. 

However, it was surprisingly easy for them to settle into a routine. Every morning she would wake up before him and pack their lunches. She would have a small breakfast and brew tea for Toshiya. He never ate in the morning and liked to sleep in until the last possible moment. To make this easier for him, Hiroko would lay out his clothing so he didn’t have to think until he walked out the door.

When Hiroko got home from school she would cook dinner and do her homework while she waited for Toshiya to get back. They would eat dinner and watch TV for a while before bed. 

Minako and Minami would visit on the weekends.

When Minako visited, they would work on her persona for a while, this usually trailed off into giggles. They were becoming real friends. They chatted about cars and clothing, all manner of things. Their relationship was soothing and Hiroko could forget her situation for a little while.

Minami always brought gifts. Once he brought a cute stuffed animal and once he brought a handful of bones that looked suspiciously human. Hiroko learned quickly that Minami was a very random man. He had many moods and could display all of them in a disturbingly short period of time but, no matter what mood he was in, he was always kind to Hiroko.

The best gift he brought was a low table and several large cushions. Hiroko was not used to using Western furniture and more often than not, she would sit on the floor in front of the sofa. This table was much more comfortable than the floor and Toshiya would sit with her instead of on the sofa. It wasn’t long before they started eating there too.

He disappeared on a ‘business trip’ twice during this time. When he got home he would be even more quiet than usual and he would randomly apologize for no reason. Hiroko knew where he went and what he was doing during his trips and chose to ignore the truth for all she was worth. 

Hiroko learned little things about Toshiya and it helped him seem more real to her. 

Toshiya was not a morning person. He was twenty-three and had been employed by Minako’s father since he was nine. No one ever offered an explanation to this but Hiroko assumed his situation was similar to hers. He graduated school early and already had a business degree from the local college. He loved to cook but usually didn't; it wasn’t worth it to him to cook for only one person. He didn’t like green for anything other than plants and every single one of his ties were blue. 

He would randomly share personal information in awkward little bits. Things like “I could have opened a restaurant.” and “I like it when it rains because it makes patterns on the windows.” 

Hiroko kept the information in a journal so she would remember. She woke up before Toshiya to make sure she had everything ready and went to bed after him just in case he needed something.

By the sixth week, she was exhausted, physically and mentally. Her fear of Toshiya turned to paranoia. Did he like dinner? Was that the shirt he wanted? She was constantly on edge.

Hiroko talked to Heiachi three times a week. He was thriving under Toshiya’s care and he sounded happy every time they spoke. He still had nightmares but once he woke up and knew he was alone, he was always able to calm himself.

A man called Uo came by every day to take care of Heiachi, bringing him groceries and anything else he needed. They weren’t able to meet face to face since Toshiya stepped in because he said something about how keeping their distance would keep Heiachi safe. 

Everything in Hiroko’s life was about keeping Heiachi safe.

It took until the seventh week for her to break. She put dinner in the oven and sat down to do her homework. The next thing she knew, Toshiya was standing over her, shaking her shoulder. His brows were furrowed and he was frowning.

She jumped back from him and slammed her back into the sofa. Before he could say anything she burst into tears. Dinner was burnt, she could smell it and she knew she had fucked up. Hiroko couldn’t even apologize she was sobbing so hard. 

Toshiya shot Hiroko a look of pure terror and patted her on the arm. When she flinched away, he retreated to the other side of the sofa. Toshiya stood there awkwardly, with his face beet red, while she cried. He made several attempts to approach her but it just made her cry harder. 

Finally, he settled on something to say, “I’m not going to hurt you, just let me give you a tissue or something.” 

Hiroko looked up at him. He was having a mild panic attack complete with heaving breathing and a layer of sweat across his forehead. He looked like a rabbit ready to bolt and it made Hiroko laugh. Of all the ridiculous things going on in her life, this was the worst of them all. She was the one that messed up; there was no need for him to panic.

Her laughter calmed Toshiya and soon after, he was sitting next to her running his hand down her hair. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“I’m sorry.” Hiroko hid her face in shame. Crying and laughing, she must look crazy.

“Sorry for what?” 

“I burnt dinner and you had to wake me up.” 

Toshiya looked genuinely confused by this. “So what? It happens and you do too much around here anyway.”

“But I have to be a good wife so you don’t hurt Heiachi.” Hiroko’s voice broke again. 

Toshiya pushed her back and forced her to look him in the eye. “I’m not going to hurt your brother. I’m not a  _ monster _ .”

“But you, um, at work.” Anger flashed in Toshiya’s eyes and his face went blank.

“It’s just a job and one I didn’t choose. I am  _ not _ going to do anything to him.” 

Toshiya’s face softened again. He laid his hand gently on Hiroko’s arm and smiled at her. “I’ve lived on my own since I was fifteen, it’s ok, you don’t have to do every little thing for me.”

“I’m doing ok?” Hiroko’s voice was small. She had to make sure Toshiya was happy.

“Yes, of course you are doing ok. You do way more than enough. I like it that you are here when I get home from work, I can leave work there and just be here, with you. So what if dinner isn’t finished?” He reached out and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. His hand lingered and slid down her cheek. 

“I can take care of myself. It’s enough to know you’re here waiting for me.” Hiroko started to cry again but this time, it was relief. Toshiya tucked her into his chest and rocked her until she finished.

“Let’s order dinner out tonight,” he said. Hiroko laughed again and nodded. 

\-----

The next week went better for Hiroko. The underlying fear of failure was still there but her stress level was much lower. Toshiya asked to leave work early one day so they could cook dinner together. They laughed and covered the kitchen in panko flakes. It was the most fun Hiroko had in a long time.

Toshiya was very attentive after her crying fit. He tried to do more things together and engage her in conversation. He complimented her every chance he got but, it wasn’t having the effect he was hoping for. The constant praise made Hiroko feel off center. No one had ever spoken to her like this and she didn’t know how to act.

There were still times when he would fade out. His eyes would cloud over and he would retreat into his mind. During those times, Hiroko would wait for him to come back or gently speak to him until his eyes cleared up. It was a lot like what Heiachi would do after his nightmares so, at least she had some idea of what to do. 

Toshiya went on another one of his trips and Hiroko could tell it was bad when he got home. He just ran his hand down her arm and shut himself in his bedroom. She was about to go to sleep when she heard a soft whimper. It was so quiet she almost missed it but when she stood near his door she could hear him crying.

It wasn’t completely unexpected.

Toshiya always acted like his work didn’t come home with him, and he never talked about it. Keeping it bottled up like that would only make things worse for him.

She knocked on the door. He snuffled and coughed, then went silent. She was about to walk away when she heard a quiet “Yes?” from the other side of the door.

“I just, um, wanted to see if you were alright.”

Toshiya cursed under his breath and opened the door. He had been crying. His hair stuck up in all directions and his face was bright red. “I’m not okay. Will you sit with me?”

The hesitation in his voice was heartbreaking. Hiroko always saw Toshiya as cold and threatening, even when he was being kind but right now, he was broken. 

Hiroko gave him a small smile and took his arm to lead him to the bed. She sat down next to him and gathered him in her arms. She rocked him and sang a song just like she did for Heiachi after his nightmares. She let Toshiya cry because right now, that’s what he needed.

After several verses of the soft lullaby, Toshiya bent over and reached under his bed. He drew out a small worn lacquered box that was painted with cranes and chrysanthemums. He lovingly patted the box while he threw a sideways glance at Hiroko. There was something important about this box and it was evident he was considering how to tell Hiroko about it. He gripped the box tightly and made up his mind. 

He slowly drew the lid back to reveal a treasure trove of small trinkets and other bits of jewelry. Among the treasures, there was a wide gold wedding band with a tiny diamond set inside, a thin silver chain with a stylized peony pendant, and a large faced watch with a leather strap. Toshiya reached into the box and drew a light finger down the watch band.

With a sigh, he started to talk. “I keep these things to remember what I’ve done. Lives I’ve ruined and things I’ve taken away.”

He tapped his finger on the watch band again. “This man was one of us. The boss gave him this watch for his twenty-fifth birthday. Not even a year later he lost a shipment to the police and the boss made an example out of him.”

Toshiya pulled out a small pair of golden earrings. “She worked in one of the shops and she was dipping money out of the till, another example.”

A pair of silver cuff links were next. “I have no idea what he did, only that I had to go to Paris to find him.”

Toshiya sighed and dug to the bottom of the box. Underneath everything else, there was a little barrette with pink flowers lined up along the top.

“She was nine and they will never find her body. Her parents backed out of a deal.” He fussed around with the things inside the box until the barrette was covered again. Then, he grabbed Hiroko’s hand and held it tight, his eyes still on his little box of treasures. 

“Do you understand now? I go where I’m ordered and I don’t ask questions. This is who I am and you are a part of it too. You didn’t have any more choice than I did.” His voice was full of sorrow, buried in his memories.

“Life is short and for people like us, there is no guarantee that I will come home every time I go out. I have to make sure that every time I do leave that you know that I appreciate you. Every single thing you do for me means something. You make this a place I want to be.” 

He raised his honey brown eyes and trapped her with his gaze. “I’m going to make sure, tomorrow, that if something does happen to me, Minami-kun will take care of you.”

The sincerity in his voice was staggering and it brought tears to Hiroko’s eyes. He really meant everything he said. The full weight of this realization settled on her shoulders and it changed everything about her future. Toshiya wasn’t a bad man, he was kind and awkward, and he cared for her a great deal. 

They sat in silence for several minutes, there was nothing more to say about the situation. Toshiya was still poking through his box with one hand but hadn’t let go of Hiroko with the other. She leaned into his shoulder and took time to enjoy their closeness. 

He shifted suddenly and surprised her out of her reprieve. 

“I think I can go back to sleep now,” he said. He dropped her hand and closed his box. 

“Ok, I’ll see you in the morning then.” When she stood up to go he grabbed her arm to stop her. Her whole body tensed and she looked back at him, unsure what else he wanted. A deep red blush bloomed on his face and he looked away quickly, his brow creased with stress.

“You could stay, and you know… just sleep, if you wanted to.” Hiroko’s stomach clenched. Toshiya’s blush was something different altogether. She had learned to not be afraid of him that this was the first time she found him attractive. 

Hiroko looked at him closely, she had never taken the time to realize how good looking he was. She could feel her face heat up, sleeping in the same bed was unexpectedly appealing. 

“I’ll stay,” she said. Toshiya’s smile broke the storm on his face and his blush grew deeper. He quickly fumbled with the comforter to give her a spot to lay down. When he crawled into bed he awkwardly laid his back against her and sighed. 

“Goodnight.” That was all he said before he fell back to sleep with his face still hidden in his pillow.


	5. Lilia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a party at the boss's house and Hiroko is not ready.

“There’s a cocktail party next week and boss said you have to be there. We are having some friends from Russia and he said it needs to be a proper event.” Toshiya frowned at her. He didn’t like the parties but it was something he had to do. 

In the weeks after Toshiya’s nightmare, she and Toshiya had become much closer. She wasn’t afraid of him anymore and actually enjoyed his company. He was dying inside from his work and he would do anything to escape. She learned that Toshiya wasn’t the one she had to keep happy, it was his boss. He could be fickle at times and anyone who displeased him would never be heard from again. Toshiya worked hard to keep him happy so he wouldn’t hurt Hiroko or Heiachi.

Keeping Heiachi safe had shifted from keeping Toshiya happy to keeping Toshiya’s boss happy.

“Who’s going to be there?” 

Toshiya grimaced and handed her a file. “It’s all in here. I need you to study up so there’s no surprises.”

Hiroko opened the file and they went through the guests together. First on the list was Vaclav and Yekaterina Nikiforov. Vaclav had strong features, silver hair, and icy blue eyes. Yekaterina had darker hair and green eyes. On paper they were the most uninteresting couple Hiroko had seen. Vaclav’s occupation was listed as ‘family business’ to shield Hiroko from the information.

Toshiya tapped his finger on Vaclav’s picture. “I know him, he’s sly but fair in his dealings. He’s the one that will have rank at the meeting. She’s friendly enough but don’t give her any information you don’t have to. She’s got a memory like a steel trap and likes to vomit random details at bad times.”

Hiroko hummed and moved to the next couple,  Nikolai  and Anzhela  Plisetsky .  Nikolai was a stout man with large arms. His wife was fair and built like a willow tree. 

“He’s a nice enough guy and smart, just some hired muscle, and his wife’s coming to make it look like a vacation. I’ve never met her but I’ve heard there’s not much there.” He tapped his temple.

“They have a four-year-old daughter named Yulia.”

The last couple on the list were Yakov  Feltsman and Lilia  Baranovskaya , who both looked mean. Yakov was thin but still full of strength. Lilia’s hair was tied back in a severe bun and her frown was even larger than Yakov’s.

“Both are just as mean as they look. They are famous and only here to lend their names to the meeting. They are messengers like Minako-chan is. Their marriage is only for image so don’t be surprised if one or both of them take a lover while they’re here. I just hope they don’t pick the wrong people again. Feltsman-san is a retired ice skater and Baranovskaya-san is a dancer. The excuse for the meeting is that she wants to meet Minako-chan to see if she’s a candidate for their company.”

“Minako-san’s mentioned Baranovskaya-san. I could probably use that.” Hiroko could use this relationship to get through the party. If they were there because they were famous, she could treat them like they were. 

“Who’s going to be there on our side?” 

Toshiya squeezed her wrist and gave her a warm look. “Just the boss, Minako-chan, and Minami-kun. Minami-kun’s going to pose as her boyfriend but really, he and I are just going to be there as a threat. They know who I am and the boss is hoping things will go better if I’m standing there frowning at them.”

He laughed a little. “Eighty percent of my job is frowning at the right people at the right time. It’s almost silly.”

Hiroko bit her tongue. It was comforting to know that her future husband only did the killing bits for twenty percent of the time. She smiled through it and started to make plans for the party.

“I’m going to need a dress.” 

“Yeah, Minako-chan will come by tomorrow and the two of you can go and get one.” 

“Good, I’ll find out what I can about Baranovskaya-san. I think I can get through it by acting like her fan.”

\-----

Hiroko felt foolish. Her hair was curled and piled on her head with what felt like an entire can of hairspray holding it together. Her dress was pink and had the ugliest rose made out of netting sitting on her shoulder and a short netting skirt to match. Minako assured her that it was the height of fashion but she felt ridiculous, there was nothing wrong with wearing a kimono.  

The Okukawa mansion was a grand Japanese style house, located in the outskirts of the city. Toshiya led Hiroko to the side door and bounced up the steps with practiced familiarity. Hiroko shrank back from the hulking structure but Toshiya pulled her along anyway. He turned to her and pointed to the huge fake smile on his face. 

When she smiled hesitantly back, his smile changed to an over exaggerated frown with complete with waggled brows. This made her giggle and it was easier to follow him into the house. When she toed off her shoes, he stopped her.

“We are going through to the western rooms; bring your shoes with you.”

When Hiroko stopped to put her shoes back on, everyone in the room stopped to look at her. She busied herself with the straps to take a quick look around the room. The women were in the far corner, smiling and chatting amongst themselves. They all had on dresses similar to hers and she sighed in relief. She wasn’t the only one that looked like they had a fight with a fabric store. 

Minako’s father and Vaclav were standing together having an intense conversation while Yakov and Nicolai watched from a few steps away. Minami was at the bar mixing a drink.

Toshiya leaned over to her and said, “Go and get your drink from Minami-kun and go over there, don’t worry, you’ll be fine.” They decided beforehand that Minami would make it look like she was drinking when she would have nothing but fruit juice.

Minami winked at her and handed over a fluorescent pink drink in a coupe glass that matched her dress. This was the most subdued she had ever seen him but then again, he did take his work seriously.

Hiroko fixed her smile and walked over to the group of women. Minako excitedly introduced her to the group. She was well settled into her friendly dancer role and flittered around as everyone said hello.

Yekaterina smiled warmly at Hiroko and looked directly into her eyes. She was self-confident and comfortable in the room. Anzhela looked like she was already drunk and it took her three tries to say Hiroko’s name correctly.

Lilia was a different story altogether. She was regal and imposing, she stole all the attention in the room. She frowned slightly and looked down her nose at Hiroko. 

It was now or never. “Baranovskaya-san, I’m so excited to meet you. I got to watch you dance once and it was the most amazing thing ever.” She only stumbled a little over the English words.

Hiroko gripped her drink and widened her eyes like Minami. She had done a lot of research on Lilia for this meeting. She needed her act to be believable and she was counting on her mix of nerves and praise for Lilia to look like excitement for meeting a celebrity. 

“We got to go for school when I was eleven. It made me cry, you were so beautiful. I can’t believe I actually got to meet you.” She waved her free arm, imitating Minami again. Anzhela rolled her eyes and wandered off to the other side of the room.

Lilia made a huffing noise and smiled a little so Hiroko pressed on. “They put some of your performances on videotapes and I watched your Don Quixote so many times I broke the tape and, and I’ll just stop talking now.” 

Hiroko looked down and let herself blush, it would only help her situation. Lilia tapped her finger on the back of Hiroko’s hand and said, “Thank you, dear. You’re a good girl. Please, call me Lilia”

Minako’s father cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention. “Nikiforov, Plisetsky, and I are going to talk. Katsuki, come.”

The mood shifted when they left the room. Yakov smiled and sat at the bar. Minami idly poured him another drink and they chatted while they watched the women talk. 

Hiroko lost the thread of conversation after that. Small talk was boring and the English was hard to follow. Yekaterina chatted for a while about her husband’s bad habit of leaving his dirty socks in the bathroom. When the subject changed to ballet, Hiroko zoned out completely. 

Watching Anzhela was much more interesting. She was walking around the room touching random things and giggling herself. It was like she had no idea what was going on around her. Hiroko couldn’t help but be a little jealous. 

Eventually, Anzhela sat down on the sofa and fell asleep. She was still holding her drink and would not let go when Minami tried to take it. With her diversion gone, Hiroko focused back on Minako.

Lilia had her hand on Minako’s arm. Yekaterina was staring at them but smiled up at Hiroko when she noticed she was being watched.

“That tea you served for breakfast, what was it again?” 

Minako brushed her fingertips on the back of Lilia’s hand and smiled warmly. “It’s cherry blossom tea, one of my favorites.”

Finally, a subject that was almost interesting. Hiroko was about to rejoin the conversation when Vaclav stomped into the room. His face was ruddy and he was shaking with rage.

“We are leaving.” 

The party broke up quickly after that. Yakov threw Minami a pained look and downed the last of his drink. Minako made hasty plans with Lilia to meet the next day and  Nikolai carried his wife out of the room.

When Toshiya came to collect Hiroko he was just as upset as Vaclav was. He bent over and whispered “We have to go,” into the shell of her ear. 

Before they made it out the door Minako’s father called Toshiya and Minami over. He leaned into them and started whispering urgently. Whatever he was saying was making Toshiya upset.

Minako caught up with Hiroko and pulled her to the side. “They are leaving tomorrow and I’m going to see them off. You have to come with me. We have to smooth this over so it doesn’t get worse.”

\-----

The first words out of Toshiya’s mouth when they got home were: “You did a good job tonight.”

Hiroko sighed heavily and flopped down at the table. She started picking at her hair, trying to rescue the barrette from its tangled depths.

Toshiya flopped down next to her and put his head on the table. 

“I have to go with Minako-san tomorrow. She said something about smoothing things over. Do I even  _ want _ to know what happened?”

Toshiya turned his head and looked up at her. “No, you really don’t.” 

He sat up and scrubbed his face in frustration. “Nikiforov-san said something stupid and the boss wants me to ‘teach them a lesson’. I have no idea what to do. They leave tomorrow and I won’t be able to touch them in Russia. There’s no time to plan.”

He laid his head back on the table. “I’ll just have to wait and see what I can do. People are going to die over this.”

Hiroko reached over and brushed his hair back.

“I just hope it’s not us.” he whispered into her hand. 

They sat at the table together long after midnight. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In 1978 the Bolshoi Ballet performed Don Quixote starring Nadezhda Pavlova, who was not widely known outside Russia. You can still buy the DVD.


	6. Anzhela

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The party hit Hiroko harder than she expected.

“I made them a box of that tea Lilia-san said she liked. You said we had to try to make things better and I thought a gift might help.” Hiroko showed Minako the gift bag she was holding. They were standing outside a hotel waiting for their Russian guests to leave for the airport.

“That’s brilliant.” 

Minami stood off to one side of Hiroko and Minako, far enough away to appear non-threatening but close enough to protect them if need be. Toshiya thought it would go better if they kept the send off small so he stayed home.

Hiroko looked over at Minako. She had a smile on her face and looked relaxed. It shouldn’t be possible to stay so calm in this situation. She knew as well as Hiroko did that something horrible would happen to these people.

She didn’t have long to dwell before the Russians came out. Vaclav went right to the car and frowned at the rest of the group to hurry up. 

Everyone else stood with pained smiles on their face and Hiroko new she could break the tension.

“Lilia-san,” she said, adding a little squeak to her voice. “You said at the party that you liked the Cherry Blossom tea and I got you some.” 

She held the bag up to Lilia and prayed the shaking in her hands would be taken as excitement again. Lilia gave her a small smile and took the bag, immediately handing it off to Anzhela. She went right back to staring at Minako.

Anzhela giggled, patted the bag, and wandered off in the direction of the car. It was eight in the morning and she was already drunk. Yekaterina sighed and went after Anzhela to help her find the car. 

Minako reached out and grabbed Lilia’s arm. “Be careful. I’ll do what I can from here but you know what he’s like. I don’t know if I can do anything.” 

Hiroko bit her lip. She wanted to run. She wanted to burst into tears, she wanted to be anywhere but right there.

Lilia gripped Minako’s hand tight enough to make her knuckles white. “I do know.”

Lilia gave one final nod to Minako and walked away.

Minako and Hiroko stood still as they watched the others leave. When they were finally gone Minako looked over and said: “Well, at least we didn’t make it any worse.”

Hiroko collapsed in on herself and only stayed standing through sheer force of will. Her body shook hard enough to rattle her teeth and her vision started to go dark. Minami came up behind her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. 

“It gets easier,” he said. Minako rubbed her arms and spoke to her soothingly.

Things were better in the car. For now, the Russians were gone and she didn’t have to think about something bad happening to one of them. 

When they dropped her off at home she fell sobbing into Toshiya’s arms. He held her until she fell asleep. 

\---

In the days after the party, Hiroko could barely roll herself out of bed. It was just too much effort. She skipped school and stayed in bed for two days straight. Toshiya made sure she ate but other than that, he was at a loss so he waited.

He pulled his blankets into her bedroom to sleep on the floor but when she noticed, she invited him to lay with her. He stayed close to her even though she wasn’t ready to talk. Toshiya being there helped, she felt safe in his arms.

When he was holding her the party didn’t happen, nothing bad was going on, and their lives were not in danger. She never wanted to move.

He gave up waiting when she lost her appetite completely. He led her to the bathroom and handed her a change of clothing. “Please take a bath, it’ll make you feel better.”

When she started to argue he shushed her and said: “Don’t worry, I’ll be right outside.”

“Right outside?”

“Yes, I’ll sit at the door and sing to you.” 

Hiroko learned something new about Toshiya: he can’t carry a tune in a bucket. He was sitting outside the bathroom door like he promised, singing pop songs. It was bad but it did make Hiroko giggle. 

Half way through Mickey, Hiroko lost it. Toshiya couldn’t remember the words and he was randomly stringing English sounding noises together to keep up the melody. 

Hiroko tried to open the bathroom door but he was leaning on it and he said: “If you think it’s so funny I won’t move till you tell me the words.”

“It’s:  _ You think you've got it right but I think you've got it wrong _ ,” She said in English. She pushed on the door and he rolled out of the way. Hiroko translated the line for Toshiya and he started laughing too.

“No,” He said. “That can’t be right, you’re lying.”

“It is, I promise, it’s  Eiri-chan’s favorite song. I don’t think you understand how many times I’ve heard that, she had to buy a new cassette.” Hiroko went over and sat at the table. Toshiya was right, she did feel better after her bath.

“Isn’t that who you’re doing your group project with?” Toshiya moved to the table too. He looked relieved.

“Yeah, that stupid project.” Hiroko made a face.

“We have to make an atomic model of water and salt and it’s worth twenty-five percent of our grade. We were supposed to make plans about it at school today. I guess I’ll just have to talk to her tomorrow.” She sighed and flopped forward on the table. 

“How am I ever going to use this in the future?” 

Toshiya snorted. “You’d be surprised.”

“How do you do it?” she said after a while.

Toshiya frowned and looked away for a moment. “I just don’t think about it, not here. I leave it behind me when I come home.”

He sighed  “I know that party was hard and it’s awful living with the knowledge that something is going to happen to one of them. You’ll get used to it, eventually,  just try not to think about it. Focus on school, or your friend Eiri-san.”

Toshiya lifted Hiroko’s hand and kissed it gently. “Or you could focus on me.”

Hiroko’s face was instantly on fire. He smiled and dropped another kiss on the back of her hand. A blush grew on his face, just as intense as hers was.

“You were the best decision of my life.” He said.

She had to tell him about Lilia.

She had to tell him what was really bothering her about the party and she had no idea how to start. She couldn’t find the words. He was so sweet and good to her and she had to change everything.

Hiroko sat up and took a moment to fuss with her hair. She looked around their apartment, taking in the changes from the last six months. There were several pictures on the walls. Hiroko bought the first two while she was out with Minako and Toshiya had picked out a third while they were out together. 

The sofa had a lap blanket and throw pillows. There were several potted plants on the breakfast bar with little plastic rabbits stuck into the soil.

The apartment wasn’t a cold hole of tan and blue anymore, it was a home. 

“Toshiya, about Lilia-san, I have to tell you” She trailed off, unable to say it. Tears pricked her eyes and she worked her hands into knots. Toshiya laid his hand over Hiroko’s.

“What about Lilia-san?” 

“She likes-”

The phone rang.

The phone didn’t ring often and Hiroko knew Toshiya had to answer it but, right now was the worst timing ever. 

Toshiya cursed lightly and went to answer it. Hiroko could hear Minami’s excited voice from across the room. Hiroko was torn between listening in and respecting Toshiya’s privacy. She decided to wait until he told her what was going on. 

“Slow down, I can’t understand you.” Minami’s voice dropped an octave and Hiroko couldn’t make out his words.

“What do you mean how did I do it? Do what? Minami-kun, what are you talking about?” Hiroko could hear Minami’s voice rise again when Toshiya paused.

“Anzhela-san’s been killed?” He looked genuinely confused by this. 

Now Hiroko knew what happened.

Toshiya hung up the phone and came back to the table. “The boss thinks I killed Anzhela-san and he’s really happy about it. I’m not going to argue with him but I didn’t do anything”

Hiroko pressed her lips into a firm line. It was almost a relief to know Anzhela was dead. 

“I’ll figure that out later. What were you going to say? It seems more important than Anzhela-san.”

Hiroko had to tell him now, there was no choice. She folded her hands in front of her and took a deep breath.

“Lilia-san likes tea. Cherry blossom tea.” Hiroko looked up at him. 

“What do you mean ‘she likes tea’?” 

Hiroko looked away again. It was much easier to speak when she wasn’t looking at him. “I put foxglove in it.”

“You what?” Toshiya’s voice was sharp.

Hiroko hid her face in her hands. “I put foxglove in it because you said something had to be done or your boss would kill you and I didn’t know what to do and so I put foxglove in the tea I gave her. Anzhela-san is dead. Anzhela-san is dead because I put foxglove in Lilia-san’s tea.”

“You gave Lilia Baranovskaya foxglove to protect me?”  He couldn’t hold back his surprised laugh. 

She wasn’t expecting him to laugh. 

“I gave Lilia-san foxglove to protect  _ us _ .” When she looked up at him his face was bright with joy. 

This was worth protecting. It started by protecting Heiachi and it evolved into something terribly wonderful. She had Toshiya now and she would do anything to keep them safe.

“Oh, Hiroko” He threw his arms around her and gathered her close. “You are so smart, so brave, so perfect.”

He kissed her square on the mouth.

When he pulled back again he said. “We are going to be great together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: The song is “Mickey” by Toni Basil and the line is actually: You think you've got the right but I think you've got it wrong


	7. Mari

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue.

Ten months later Mari was born and she became the light of their lives. She was always a serious child who never fussed and smiled lazily at anyone close enough to see.

Several months after she was born, Minako left to travel the world. She was accepted into a prominent ballet company that gave her the chance to escape.

Heiachi got married to a lovely girl named Sakura and they named their son Takeshi.

When Mari was six, Hiroko and Toshiya had their second child. They named him Yuuri and he was the exact opposite of Mari. Yuuri was a fussy child that had everyone that knew him wrapped around his chubby little fingers.

Mari was logic and ice while Yuuri was passion and fire. They complimented each other and their little family settled into something resembling happiness.

When Mari was seven Hiroko got a panicked phone call from Minako that changed her life again.

“It’s time Hiroko-chan, we have to do it now.” Minako was babbling and Hiroko could barely understand her.

When Hiroko finally got the story out of her, she realized it was time to act.

Minako had fallen in love with exactly the wrong person. She and Lilia were together and somehow, it had gotten back to Minako’s father. He planned to kill everyone involved including Hiroko and declare war on the Russian family. Minako’s father never understood anything but raw power.

It didn’t take long to convince Toshiya and Minami to help. They already had a plan set up and no excuse to use it. Their plan centered around Hiroko and her freedom of movement and she took advantage of the fact that the boss never considered a woman to be a threat. His shortsightedness became his downfall.

Three days after Minako’s phone call, everyone Hiroko loved was free and everyone else was dead.

Some of the Russian family died too, including the Nikiforovs.

The name Katsuki became synonymous with fear and death. Toshiya started the reputation and with this, Hiroko solidified it for generations to come. It’s not what she wanted but she made it work in her favor.

With their new found freedom, they moved to Hasetsu and bought a traditional inn. Heiachi and his family bought the ice rink, it was an odd choice for them because neither of them knew how to ice skate but, the price was right and it was close to Hiroko.

After years of taking care of Heiachi, Uo adopted him. He moved when they did so he could continue to protect his family. Uo spent his years fishing from the bridge and quietly taking care of any trouble in the town. 

Minami ran to Tokyo where he used his vast knowledge of human anatomy to train as a physician. Some days, if they found in in the right mood, he would grace his children with tales of the magnificent Katsukis and their fight for freedom.

They lived a quiet life. Hiroko told everyone that they were to leave her family alone, her children were not to know of the past. The name Katsuki held enough power in their world that they never thought of going against her word. Sometimes, she could almost forget how they got to where they were.

After the events in Russia Minako moved into Hasetsu and opened a bar and a ballet studio. She never talked about what happened in Russia and Hiroko wasn’t going to pry.

Yakov washed his hands of the crime family and focused on raising the Nikiforov’s son and coaching, That’s all he ever wanted anyway. He remained good friends with Nikolai and when his grandson showed talent for skating, Yakov took him to train.

When Mari was seventeen, the Russians entered their lives again in the form of a young star named Victor Nikiforov. Yuuri developed an obsession for the little silver-haired menace and it only grew over the years. Hiroko was at a loss, she had no idea how could she warn her child of danger without revealing her past.

People still whispered about Hiroko and her tea and with Mari’s friends, it wasn’t hard for her to hear the rumors. Mari gracefully ignored the talk and never brought it up with her parents.

Yuuri was still in the dark so she jumped at the chance to send him to America where her past would never touch him. It was a vain hope but, she could try. It felt so good to have the name Kastuki linked with something other than death.

Everything came to a head when Mari was thirty. Yuuri moved home and brought Victor with him. Hiroko shrank away from him and being kind was a hard fought battle. Looking into Victor’s eyes was too much like looking into the eyes of his father.

It was easy to figure out how much Victor knew. His first day there Hiroko smiled brightly and brewed him his own pot of tea. He did not hesitate and drank her offering enthusiastically.

He knew nothing.

Hiroko relaxed a little until the Plisetsky boy showed up. His pot of tea was answered with a burning red face and a snarled “Why don’t you have a cup too?”

She smiled serenely at him and gave him a hug which he barely tolerated.

“If you ever tell anyone what you know, it won’t be the tea that gets you.” She whispered in his ear and he never looked her in the eye again.

Hiroko slowly warmed up to Victor. He was goofy and innocent, and the light of her son’s life. Toshiya never said anything, trusting her to take care of any problems.

When Mari was thirty-two, Yuuri got married. The Plisetsky boy and Minami’s son were in the wedding party along with Heiachi’s son and daughter-in-law.

At the reception, Hiroko had a little too much to drink and couldn’t stop laughing. Toshiya, Heiachi, and Uo were sitting with her, watching the younger generation dance.  Lilia was sitting at the bar next to Maniko with their hands linked in Lilia’s lap. She looked so happy. Yakov was sitting with Minami and kept looking at the two women and smiling.

When Toshiya asked her what was wrong she took his arm and gestured to the people around her with her champagne flute. There were little changes here and there, Toshiya wore glasses, Lilia’s hair was gray and there were so few of them left.

She had to fight through her giggles to answer him.

“It’s just so funny, my son’s name, it’s _Katsuki-Nikiforov._ ”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. 
> 
> [Braveotabek,](http://braveotabek.tumblr.com/) thank for your amazing art and enthusiasm to get me through this fic.
> 
> [Ashii Black,](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ashiiblack/profile) you helped me so much with this... just, thank you. I hope Minami is creepy enough for you now.
> 
> [Narikopathfinder,](</a>http://archiveofourown.org/users/narikopathfinder/pseuds/narikopathfinder) you are a hero. Thank you for always being there to listen to me whine and tell me everything will be ok.
> 
> I have a [Tumblr.](https://lazyblizzarddefendor.tumblr.com) It's not much but asks are always open. 
> 
> Have a beautiful day! <3


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